Spring Fling

I'm always on the lookout for great books that will be coming out soon or that I may not have heard about. I've particularly become addicted to this game because I've converted to the library since moving to Chicago, which requires putting it on reserve before it comes out in an attempt to read it as soon after release as possible. I was excited to wake up this morning and see a 15 book list from Daily Candy waiting in my inbox. Running the gamut from young adult to thriller, there is something for everyone in their recommendations and several that I already had my eye on. Enjoy!

New Book Releases for Spring 2012 from DailyCandy

Fun Find

My husband and I have a love, and the beginnings of a collection, for both maps and books. Imagine my delight when I saw this Booklover's Map mentioned online. Apparently created in 1933, it marks literary landmarks on the U.S. map. Wish we could add this one to our collection!

From BrainPickings

A Voracious Appetite

If you’ve been living under a rock or automatically discount Young Adult books, this review is for you.  As I’m sure everyone has heard, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins has been turned into a movie coming out next week.  As a general rule, I try to read the book before I see the movie and in this case I have actually read this fun and addictive trilogy, maybe even more than once. Set in a dystopian world where the government holds a to-the-death contest between kids from each region, Katniss will grab your attention as the smart and tough heroine of the tale. Balancing the terror of this world with typical adolescent concerns and emotions (of course there’s a love triangle!), Collins writes a tale of strength set amidst an extremely unique world. The first book was a knockout with regard to individuality but once you get started, it’s nearly impossible to stop and not find out what happens next.  Don’t rule it out because it falls into the young adult and science fiction category; it is great entertainment and if you’re skeptical, it’s not a difficult read or a big time commitment so there’s no excuse not to give it a whirl.

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New Heights

There is no question that the below office is an unusual space. It is pretty amazing though what was accomplished with the awkward, lofted area. A little simpler in the overall decor than I usually go for, this really spoke to me because it is just such an original use of space. Someone in their house must not have a fear of heights to climb the ladder-- or those aren't the books they read the most!

The Best of Times

Even before reading Robert Massie's Catherine the Great, I had a minor obsession with all things related to Russian czars. So when I saw Kathryn Harrison's Enchantments in the Times yesterday, I immediately added it to my to-read list. Following the story of Rasputin's daughter Masha, this tale promises a different side of the typical Romanov telling. The burgeoning friendship between Masha and the youngest Romanov, Aloysha, takes center stage while Masha's storytelling buoys spirits in the midst of the doom that eclipses the royal family. I love that it takes a different perspective and am excited to delve a little deeper into Rasputin's family through this work of fiction.

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Ruminations on Reading

I love quotes. I might be an addict actually. I think at least 75 percent of the papers I wrote in school started with a quote that I thought summarized my thesis. It's an interest I inherited from my dad who had the perfect, carefully-selected quote for absolutely every occasion and whose old copy of Bartlett's I frequently stole (and forgot to return). In that vein, I thought it would be fun to include some great quotes about the love of reading. If you have any favorite quotes from or about books, feel free to share!

You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.

 ~C.S. Lewis

Librarian Chic

I can now unleash my inner librarian with the use of this personal library kit. When I was little I had those colorful bookplates that said "Property of" but this capsule takes it to a whole new level. With a similar sticker plus other circulation favorites like the stamp plus ink pad, the return date insert and even a loan log, your personal library will have all the accessories you could possibly need. Next step, to finalize the cost of overdue fines...

Personal Library Kit

Soundtrack to Your Life

Sometimes you’ll hear a song on the radio and you’ll flashback to a different time in your life.  Or you’ll be going through a hard time and the song that perfectly captures your mood comes on.  Rob Sheffield takes it one step further in his story of love and loss, Love is a Mix Tape.  As someone who was always obsessed with music, he travels through his memories aided by the mix tapes he, or others, made over the years. A heartbreaking story but one that is also filled with humor and hope, he recounts his love story and the circumstances that ended it. It is definitely a heartfelt telling so you might need a few tissues for this quick read.  If you’re not a music fan, a lot of the references and specific allusions will be too detailed to enjoy, but some may provide fun walks down memory lane. Whether a music buff or not, this is a sweet, worthwhile read that reminds us to appreciate every day

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Stairway Shelving

This bookshelf might be the most efficient use of space I've seen. Not only is it a great, cool way to store and display books, but it uses an area that might otherwise be empty. I personally would put a cozy wingback chair right next to it and turn it into a great reading nook!

The Best of Times

Front and center with a double-page spread at the front of the Book Review, The Expats by Chris Pavone clearly has the support of his publisher. My mom actually alerted me to this release last week when she heard he went to Cornell (Go Big Red!), so it wasn't a true discovery yesterday morning but I was still excited to see it in such prominent placement. The story revolves around ex-CIA agent Kate Moore who relocates to Luxembourg with her family. Suspicious about another couple, and even her husband's activities, she becomes embroiled in the search to uncover their secrets and all that goes with it. With endorsements from John Grisham, Patricia Cornwell, and Olen Steinhauer, the parallels drawn are clear-- this is hopefully a new powerhouse to add to the rotation of great  spy thrillers.

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A Submissive Sensation

With over 120,000 copies sold, E.L. James's Fifty Shades of Grey is apparently the "it" read of women's book clubs. It is allegedly super racy and very graphic, centered around the submissive sexual relationship between a billionaire and a student who meet through an interview for her college paper. I don't know if maybe I'm not the target audience, but the description and buzz about this book does nothing for me. The book clubs I'm in tend more toward the Catherine the Great and Bossy Pants end of the spectrum, for which I am now very appreciative. My interest in bodice-rippers tend to end at "romance lite," but I know this is a large part of the publishing industry. What do you think? Are you interested in the craze?

Today Show coverage

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Greatest Generation

Racing up the bestsellers list on Amazon, World War II Remembered is not only an incredible story but contains 56 individual recollections of the war. The inception of the book is almost as cool a story as the actual read seems to be; the remembrances were compiled and published by a single retirement community in New Hampshire. With press on the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, the background and the book itself seem to be capturing hearts.

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